Quoting Queen Elizabeth the First on being told there was no money to provide hospices for sailors.
'They will have to rot in the streets then'
Not a lot as changed really, it is just done a little more out of sight now.

I've seen the quote from Keith Vaz, but he's well practiced at stating the bleeding obvious. Of course some people are going to be offended by what she says, equally some people are offended by what he says sometimes.

She should be allowed to state her opinion without some odious little oik who happens to have a similar job pontificating about it.

I cannot understand why the minister has been branded racist. She used the word English, now I know many English people who are not white, however they were born here and are entitled to be called English. Colour has sweet FA to do with being English.

I really do not see what could be considered even remotely racist or offensive to anyone about Hodgesâ€™ statement or stance on this issue. Those who have come to the UK looking for freebies and expect to have the right to jump queues are probably annoyed like hell that it has even been suggested. As always the race card is being played and funny old thing - Vaz is there to play it with bugger all substance to back it up. He just likes the sound of his own voice and is trying to score points.

IMHO Hodge is incredibly brave for coming out with this. Most Politicians would shy away from making any statement which could cost them votes or result in negative publicity.

She is of course absolutely right. Why shouldn't those who have invested their lives in this country come first on the housing (and other) schemes? No other country on the planet would give so much to people who leave their own countries to seek a better life elsewhere, at least not without letting them show that they're prepared to work for it.